Spiritual%20Warfare

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Spiritual Warfare

• Howard Culbertson
• Southern Nazarene University

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Spiritual warfare? Isnt Jesus the Prince of
Peace?

• Yes, He is. But just listen to these Bible
  verses . . .

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• The weapons we fight with . . . They have divine
  power to demolish strongholds. . . We take
  captive every thought to make it obedient to
  Christ. -- 2 Cor. 103-5

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• Put on the full armor of God so that you can
  take your stand against the devils schemes. For
  our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but
  against the rulers, against the authorities,
  against the powers of this dark world and against
  the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly
  realms Eph. 610-12

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• Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.
  James 47
• In all these things we are more than conquerors
  . . . (Nothing) shall separate us from the love
  of God Romans 838-39

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War imagery catches the epic proportions of what
goes on in the supernatural realm.
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• And though this world, with devils filled,
• Should threaten to undo us,
• We will not fear, for God hath willed
• His truth to triumph through us
• -- from A Mighty Fortress Is Our God by Martin
  Luther

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A pro-active approach to being a world Christian

• Team members must be committed to intercession
  and spiritual warfare
• -- Daniel Psaute, missionary in the Balkans

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Commitment to spiritual warfare

• 1. Uses a biblical world view
• Takes seriously Biblical warnings about an enemy
• Your enemy the devil prowls around like a
  roaring lion I Peter 58

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Commitment to spiritual warfare

• 1. Uses a biblical world view (cont.)
• Recognizes supernatural forces beyond human
  knowledge and control.
• Like Job we dont behind the scenes
• Flaw of excluded middle

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2. Adopts an at war attitude

• No longer playing it safe
• Willingly making those sacrifices which God asks
  of us
• Endure hardship with us like a good soldier of
  Christ Jesus 2 Timothy 23
• We share in Gods victory -- the empty tomb --
  only when we also share in Gods loss the cross.

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Commitment to spiritual warfare

• 2. Adopts an at war attitude (cont.)
• Desires to be on front lines
• Thinks like an overcomer

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Commitment to spiritual warfare

• 3. A tighter focus
• Guards against distractions or having your
  buttons pushed
• Recognizes the Enemy wants us entangled

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Commitment to spiritual warfare

• 3. A tighter focus (continued)
• Pursues what moves you toward the objectives
• (Thats why we dont smoke, drink or chew or go
  with the girls that do).
• Understands importance of keeping eyes on Lord,
  not on your abilities

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Commitment to spiritual warfare

• 4. Disciplines thoughts and actions
• Takes sin seriously
• Embraces spiritual disciplines that strengthen
  and prepare
• Guard your heart
• Welcomes accountability structures

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Commitment to spiritual warfare

• 4. Disciplines thoughts and actions (cont.)
• Stays alert to Holy Spirits leadings
• Righteous living in obedience to Gods Word

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Commitment to spiritual warfare

• 5. Makes prayer central
• The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and
  effective -- James 516

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Diligent, intentional prayer is crucial to every
aspect of our strategy -- Missionary Dan Psaute
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Prayer is not what we do when we dont know what
else to do.Prayer is what we do.
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Prayer is not what we do when we dont have a
clue on how to begin.Prayer is how we begin.
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Prayer is not how we seek for a strategy.Prayer
is our strategy.
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We are at war with demonic forces not because of
who we are, but because of who we serve
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Spiritual Warfare

• (End)
• Howard Culbertson
• Southern Nazarene University